Pivoted jaw pipe wrench having pivoted spring-biased auxiliary jaws



Aug. 1, 1950 w. G. SISLEY PIVOTED JAW PIPE WRENCH HAVING PIVOTED SPRING-BIASED AUXILIARY JAWS 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1945 awue/Mm WILUAM 5. SISLEY, :)(jM 2: an

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PIVOTED JAW PIPE NCH HAVING PIVOTED SPRING-'BIASED AUXILIARY JAWS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1945 INVENTOR: WILLIAM G. SISLET,

/ Mm Mm ATTO R N EYS Patented Aug. 1, 1950 PIVOTED JAW PIPE WRENCH HAVING PIV- O'IED SPRING-BIASED AUXILIARY JAWS William G. Sisley, Erie, Pa. Ear-1G. Sisley administrator of said William G. Sisley, deceased Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 634,908

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in wrenches, and more particularly to a self-adjusting pipe wrench.

More specifically, the invention embodies the provision of a curved toothed jaw at one end of a handle and a cooperating curved toothed jaw pivotally mounted on the handle and having spring means for urging the pivoted jaw into gripping engagement with the pipe, together with auxiliary jaws .pivotally carried by each of the main jaws of the wrench and having spring means for urging the auxiliary jaws inwardly of the main jaws into gripping engagement with pipes of smaller size.

A further object of the invention is to provide a so-called speed pipe wrench by means of which pipes of various sizes or diameters may be held in gripping engagement without requiring adjustment of the jaws of the wrench.

Other objects and advantagesreside in the detailsof construction and operation, as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View showing the wrench in use for gripping a relatively large pipe and with partsbroken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a side elevational View showing the auxiliary jaws in use for gripping a relatively small pipe and with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a modified construction embodying a locking device for the pivoted jaw.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail looking in the direction of the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a further modification showing means for releasing the pivoted jaw.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a portion of the handle and a portion of the pull rod and its finger ring for releasing one of the jaws of the wrench.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the handle of the wrench on one end of which a curved jaw 6 is integrally formed or otherwise fixedly secured to the handle.

The jaw 6, at its inner portion, and at its junction with the handle 5 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot I in which the inner end 2 l of a pivoted jaw 8 is positioned and pivoted thereto by means of a pin 9, extending transversely at the inner end of the slot. The pivoted jaw 8 is likewise curved to conform to the curvature of a pipe l0 when positioned between the jaws 6 and 8, the opposed faces of the jaws being formed with teeth -II which are inclined, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing.

A leaf spring l2 has one end secured to the handle 5 by means of rivets [3 or the like and with its free end projecting forwardly and overlying the back of the pivoted jaw 8, whereby to urge the pivoted jaw into cooperating gripping relation with respect to the fixed jaw 5.

The opposed jaw faces of the jaws 6 and 8 are curved to conformably receive a substantially large pipe or other round objects, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, and in order to provide effective gripping relation with relative smaller pipes, as indicated at M in Figure3 of the drawing, I provide a pair of pivoted auxiliary jaws l5 and 16, the auxiliary jaw H5 being pivoted on a pin I! in the slot 1 of the fixed jaw 6, while the auxiliary jaw 16 is positioned in a longitudinally extending slot l8 in the pivoted jaw B and pivoted thereto by means of a pin 19.

The auxiliary jaws l5 and 16 are pivoted adjacent their inner ends to provide for the movement of the outer ends of the auxiliary jaws toward and away from each other.

Coil springs 20 are recessed in the rear edges of the jaws l5 and I6 and are connected at their other ends to the respective main jaws 6 and 8 by means of pins 2|, the coil springs urging the free ends of the auxiliary jaws l5 and [6 toward each other into gripping engagement with the pipe 14.

The opposed faces of the auxiliary jaws l5 and [6 are likewise formed with teeth 22 which may incline either outwardly toward the open ends of the jaws, or in an opposite direction.

When the main jaws 6 and 8 are in use for gripping a relatively large pipe Hi, the auxiliary jaws l5 and 16 are recessed in the slots 1 and 18, respectively, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

In Figures 4 and 5 the inner end of the pivoted jaw 23 is bifurcated as indicated at 24 to straddle the handle 25 for pivoting thereto on the pin 26. The pin is secured in the handle by a set screw 21.

The ends of the furcations 28 of the pivoted jaw are rounded and formed with teeth 29 engaged by toothed wheels 30 fixed on the ends of a pin 3| journaled transversely in the handle, the wheels 38 being positioned at opposite sides of the handle. A set screw 32 threaded in the edge of the handle engages the pin 3| to secure the pin and wheels 30 against movement, when desired, to lock the pivoted jaw against opening movement.

A leaf springg33 urges the jaw ,23 to closed position for clamping engagement 'with the pipe 34 when the set screw 32 is in retracted position.

Figure 6 illustrates a flexible rod or cable 35 for opening the pivoted jaw 36, the rod .or cable being recessed in a longitudinal groove I3 1 in one side of the handle 38, and being slidable in guide loops 39 secured to the side of the handle. The front end of the rod or cable is attached to a pin or bolt @lfisecured to one side of the pivoted jaw 36, and a pull ring M is attached to the rear end of the cable, whereby a pulling force exerted on the ring will open the jaw, while the :leaf spring 32 tends 'to close xtheijaw.

It is believed that the detailsof construction, manner of use and advantages-of the device will :be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

fit ;is to be understood, l however, that even though I have herein 'shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, the same 31s susceptible of certain changes fully comprehanded by the spirit of the invention as herein described, and the scope of the appended'claims.

.Having thus described the invention, what-1 claim is:

-1. .A self adjusting wrench for circular work of different diameters comprising a handle, a

main jaw rigidly secured to a forward end of the handle and having an inner circularly curved face provided with teeth, a movable main jaw confronting the first named main jaw and piv- 1 otally'connected at its inner end with the first named main jaw, the movable main jaw having an inner circularly curved face provided with teeth, a leaf spring mounted upon the handle and engaging an outer surface of the movable main jaw, said main jaws having longitudinal slots formed therein, said slots terminating short of outer ends of the toothed faces, opposed auxiliary jaws mounted within said slots and pivotally connected .near their rear ends to-said 50 main jaws, the auxiliary jaws having inner circularly curved faces provided with teeth, the circularly curved faces of the auxiliary jaws being formed upon arcs of smaller radii than the arcs of the faces of the main jaws, and springs mounted on said main jaws and engaging forward ends of the auxiliary jaws to move said forward .iends inwardly of said inner faces of the main jaws.

2. A self-adjusting wrench for circular work of different diameters comprising a handle, a main jaw rigidly secured to a forward end of the handle andrhaving an inner circularly curved face provided with teeth, a movable main jaw confronting the first named main jaw and pivotally connected "at its inner end with the first named main jaw, the movable main jaw having an inner circularly curved face provided with teeth, said main jaws .having longitudinal slots REFERENCES CITED The following references are vof record in file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 188,718 'Yantis Mar. 20, .1877 551,311 Gay et a1 Dec. 10,1895 556,151 Johnson Mar. 10, 1896 1,138,728 Cavanna May I1, "1915 1,322,643 Steen Nov. 25, "1919 1,387,867 Reed Aug. 16, 1921 1,576,918 Lidell Mar. 16, 1926 1,582,512 'Burkeybile Apr. 2'7, 192'6 -'-1,9-21,281 Carlson -iAug. *8, 1 933 

